J Skillman

Decoration

| wonko

Although I began folding paper when I was 11, I peaked at about 13 (back then, in my own mind) by mastering Jack Skillman’s “Jackstone”:scale

I had bought Robert Harbin’s Origami book series, the model featured in book 2 at the back which meant it wqas hard. It seems the Jackstone was at the time a measure of the complexity of the art and, strangely, the geometry made sense to me – so much so that, for whatever reason I committed it to memory and still fold it today. (read Dave Lister’s BOS account of it)detail

It is a masterpiece of pre-folding – that you unfold, turn inside out and collapse along existing lines – the magic still delights and fascinates me to this day. Continue reading →

417: Ornament

| wonko

I had a need, my brain was fried but I had to keep busy sooo…

I was given some lovely Yuzen squares (15cm) and, because the papers well all different, so colourful I decided to try to fold, from memory the Jackstone – unsure if my fat clumsy fingers could manage the fold so tiny.

I managed a dozen of them before the cramps and RSI flared up again. The resultant 6 pointed stars are so lovely, I threaded them on gold thread and gifted them to friends to put on their christmas tree (I do hope they like them).

When my hands settle down I might make some more – mind you it helps to have good paper.

282: Skillman’s Chair

| wonko

Now I freely admit as a kid I was an origami wimp – seeing complicated folds of this “comfy chair” and running a mile, or half-ass trying them, crumpling the paper and sulking. This fold, by Jack Skillman, seemed too hard way back then so I never tried it:

As it turns out, the only confusing part is that you pre-fold a chair shape, unfold it completely and collapse it inside out so all the stickey-outy bits are hidden.

Certainly 12months ago I would have thought this tricksey, but not now. One of the side-effects of the dailt fold is that previously tricksey steps now are automatic to me – oddly I now tackle models really differently and that is a good thing.

This simple exercise in box-pleating is a nice sturdy design with a modern feel to it, even though it was designed by an architect/mathematician in the 60s. Folded from “Secrets of Origami” by Robert Harbin, my oldest book.

Happy finally to try this model, pleased with the first fold of it also – choosing today’s model seemed to take ages for some reason – so much choice I guess.